Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank noted that 13 vaccine candidates are on the World Health Organization's list and said, "We are the third country after the USA and China according to the total number of vaccine projects we have carried out." said.
Noting that 3 companies in Tekirdağ, Kocaeli and Adıyaman have the capacity to produce 160 million doses of vaccine, Minister Varank said, "After the design, prototype vaccine and animal studies stages, our 4 vaccine candidates have successfully completed animal experiments." he spoke.
Minister Varank said that, in addition to the private sector, work has begun to establish a vaccine and drug center under the roof of TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center Genetic Engineering Biotechnology Institute, saying, “Hopefully, we aim to complete this infrastructure within a year. In these centers to be established in the GMP standard, the first time from end to end drug and vaccine development work can be done in Turkey. " used the expressions.
Varank Ministers, under the umbrella of TUBITAK-19 Covidien Vaccine and Drug Development Platform Turkey participated in the online conference. In his speech here, Minister Varank shared the work done on Covid-19 and said in summary:
The global epidemic does not slow down. Like no other epidemic, the coronavirus outbreak is not endless. Maybe this agenda will completely disappear from our lives after months; will be forgotten. In the end, a vaccine technology in Turkey will have the ability to develop and produce local and national solutions. Here in Turkey should Covidien-19 platform, every step should be taken by the scientists working in TUSEB-funded projects, our country will be a breakthrough vaccine and pharmaceutical sectors.
All of the different vaccine technology studied in the world, and even more innovative methods were studied in Turkey by Covidien-19 platform. In this context, we continue our studies on the following vaccine types. Inactive vaccine, adenovirus vaccine, vaccine based on virus-like particles, recombinant vaccine candidate based on ASC particle technology developed for the first time in the world, DNA vaccines, mRNA vaccine and Recombinant Spike Protein vaccine.
After the design, prototype vaccine and animal studies stages, a total of 4 vaccine candidates have successfully completed animal experiments. The challenge tests, which are an advanced stage of animal experiments, are also successfully carried out at TÜBİTAK MAM. Thus, we are preparing for Phase 1 clinical phase beyond Phase 2. The safe production approval required to switch to human experiments was given for 2 facilities.
At these facilities in Tekirdağ and Adıyaman, adenovirus and inactive vaccine candidates will be produced at world standards and Phase-1 human clinical studies will begin. We plan to start phase studies of other innovative vaccine candidates as soon as possible. 13 vaccine candidates in our ecosystem are on the list of the World Health Organization. We are the third country after the USA and China in terms of the total number of vaccine projects we carry out.
Turkey Covidien-19 Platform, running successful projects in addition to the vaccine medication. In pharmaceutical studies, within the scope of university-industry cooperation, different areas of expertise and experts came together and once again achieved a cooperation. You know, we obtained our first result by synthesizing the Favipiravir active ingredient locally and nationally. Again, for the first time in the world, our scientists investigated the inhibitory / reducing aspect of the Griffithsin molecule to Covid-19. According to pre-clinical trial results, it has been proven that this molecule can be used as an anti-infection and transmission-reducing agent. In this context, we will soon move on to Phase 2 clinical studies of the newly developed drug candidate. We made our application.
Recently, an application has been made to start Phase 19 clinical trials for the active ingredient of Ribavirin, which has anti-viral activity against Covid-3. Studies on other molecules are also continuing successfully. We switch to the challenge tests of the antibody-like neutralizing drug candidate, which can show a short-term protective effect in high risk groups such as healthcare personnel. Plasmas with a high content of Covid-19 specific antibodies are successfully applied to patients.
A unique product candidate showed its effectiveness in the recombinant antibody project that neutralized Covid-19; pre-clinical studies will be started. Again, we achieved successful results in the recombinant IL-1Ra (interleukin 1 receptor alpha) based drug candidate and in stopping the cytokine storm. These studies, as well as Turkey in recent years, also developed the vaccine production capacity significantly. As of today, 3 companies with production centers in Tekirdağ, Kocaeli and Adıyaman have the capacity to produce 160 million doses of vaccine. Of course, I would like to emphasize that they can increase their capacity if requested.
In addition to the private sector, we started the work to establish a vaccine and drug center under the umbrella of the Genetic Engineering Biotechnology Institute at TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center. Hopefully, we aim to complete this infrastructure within a year. In these centers to be established in the GMP standard, the first time from end to end drug and vaccine development work can be done in Turkey. With this center together, vaccine and drug production in Turkey point, it will have come to a very different level.
Covidien-19 all the work of the Platform of Turkey, part of the National Technology Hamlesi in nature. If Turkey has become a center of drug and vaccine studies, this and similar platforms to achieve this leadership. Thanks to this mobilization spirit, our country will have the ability to design, develop and manufacture its own vaccines.
We met with our teachers on this platform, everyone is essentially what the infrastructure is so strong in Turkey, has seen what can be done together. Scientists work with great courage and sacrifice. Their only concern is to serve the country and humanity.
We were not able to learn exactly how the virus would actually affect, nor the disease. There may be question marks in people's minds about vaccines, but when we evaluate the risks and the transparency of the processes here, there will of course be solutions that will heal humanity.
TÜBİTAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan Mandal phase we plan to participate in the development of vaccine studies in Turkey. We have an intention to get the vaccine shot in phase study. It is important that we contribute to scientific studies. If risks need to be taken for the good and benefit of humanity, we need to support our scientists.
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